Paris1972-Versailles2003

What about the wonder of our world , Mont Saint Michel. We have been to it and my sons even had gone on school trips. It is something beyond description really, how it can be  there! This is a marvel of our times, and so much written on it; I will update this older post for you and me with a bit of history I like. Therefore, this is Mont Saint Michel !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.

The Mont-Saint-Michel in the département 50 of the Manche in the region of Normandie. It takes the name from the rocky isle consecrated by Saint Michel where today it is the Abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel. There is a statue of the Saint at the summit 157 meters high at sea level.

A bit of history I like tell us that the rocky isle is at the mouth of the Couesnon river on which it falls into the Manche. It has 960 meters in circumference arising above a sandy plain at 92 meters high sea level. You have up of the stones from the abbey at about 79 meters and from the floor of the abbey to the tower there is 35 meters, the spiral arrow has a height of 40 meters and the statue of Saint Michel itself has 4 meters. At the beginning of time, it was known as tomb hill or mont Tombe. Probably because of a stone or monument megalith destine to the pagan cult; that was replaced by one honoring the Saint Michel from 709. From 710 and during all the middle ages it was known by the monks as the Mont Saint-Michel. In 867, the Treaty of Compiegne gives the Cotentin,as well as the Avranchin to the king of Bretagne,Salomon. The controversy between the Normans and the Breton arise from this cloudy definition, claiming this area was not in Normandie given to the Viking king Rollon in 911, the Mont Saint-Michel stayed Breton even attached to the parish of Avranches, which in turn belongs to the archdiocese of Rouen. You are with me so far ,ok.

It was part of Bretagne while in 933, Duke William I of Normandie takes over the Avranchin with the border set at the Sélune river. The Benedictines monks established here in 966 upon request of the duke of Normandie, and the pre Roman Church is built at the same period. At the Chapel of Saint Martin in the abbey were buried the Breton dukes of the house of Rennes such as Conan I le Tort (+992), and Geoffroy I Béranger (+1008), husband of Havoise de Normandie, grand benefactor of the abbey given the revenues of the Saint-Méloir-des-Ondes and Saint-Benoît-des-Ondes to the abbey. In 1009 the Duke of Normandie takes control of the Abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel, and the abbot Maynard will need to moved to the abbey of Saint-Sauveur in Redon to be replace by the Abbot Hildebert Ier, chosen by Duke Richard II of Normandie. The limits between Bretagne and Normandie independant of the location of the water source and precisely at 4 km to the west of the bottom of the massif of Saint-Broladre. From 2001, the brothers and sisters of the monastic fraternities of Jerusalem coming from the Church of Saint-Gervais in Paris, insured a presence all year round, replacing the Benedictine monks that were coming here since 1966.

Ok so what can you see here… ? Many things but my favorites story telling of them is as it is. The Abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel ,and all its dependancies such as the Chapel of or Chapelle Notre-Dame-sous-Terre, Chapelle Saint-Aubert; and the fountain or Fontaine Saint-Aubert; the parish Church of Saint-Pierre ,which originally housed the inhabitants of the Mount. The Church is led by a priest name by the Bishop of Coutances. The Church preserves relics from the 11C in its pillars but in general they belong to the 15C and 16C. The nerf has only one lower altar that lower to the Choir. It has a small bell, but the Church has rich decorations like stained glass from the 15C, altar and columns from 1660, baptismal fountain from the 13C , a Virgin and the Child and education of the Virgin as Sainte Anne teaching Mary from the 15C-16C , and a copy of the statue of Saint Michel. It is still surrounded by a cemetery. The town is one of the few French cities preserving the medieval fortifications, dating from the 13C to the 16C. The ramparts of Fanils, continue the walls of Monteux, of Cantilly,and of Pillette, dating from the 16C with the tour Gabriel.

See the wonderful cloister, the refectory, the monk’s promenade, the gardens of la Merveille,and western terrace overlooking the bay. A wonderful big wheel or grande roué; the guest’s hall or salledes hôtes, chapel Sainte Madeleine (with its black Madonna), the Crypt of Saint Martin,chapel of Sainte Etienne (St Stephen), the north south stair or escalier nord-sud, Gentlemen room or salledes chevaliers.

Once inside there is a laberinth of narrow street, steep stairs, and hilly terrain which you must be in shape to do. It is semi circular and if you go to the ramparts you have great views over the sea. By the way, the area had the big waves or grand marée recently but today it was all sandy and plenty of walkers even a tour group in the sand on foot coming over. The walking on the sand to the mount is handle by expert guides as they can be very dangerous. Waves come back at 15 meters within minutes to surround the mound like an island! It is a sight to see too

On the culinary front what else is new in France! You have the sheep or lamb pre salted or mouton/agneau de pré-salé ,much better grill in carbon. The Omelette de la mère Poulard, native of Nevers, Burgundy and arrived at the Mount at 21 yrs old (also the name of the restaurant). These are made with fresh eggs, fresh cream, well beaten to merinque with a special rythme and cook in a copper pot on carbon wood fire ;delicious.

In other occasions we stopped for lunch of the many choices if a bit pricy and not the greatest culinary exhibition of France we chose the La Vieille Auberge a hotel restaurant on the Grande Rue. This is a very nicely decorated resto with terrace and first floor overlooking the bay of Mont Saint Michel. The service was nice and prompt , the prices we control with a main dish, bottle of rose wine, extra dishes of fries, and coffee expresso, I had the menu at 18€ with salad entrée, steak =entrecote, fries and a tarte normande or apple pie that was the best of it all. All came out to 23.40€ per person.  

We have purchase trinkets and gifts,  especially in the La Porte du Roy, La Siréne,(créperie and boutique),le Grand Bazaar(no longer there), and the boutiques of the Mére Poulard. This time we just went for the walk and to spend more time in the abbey and church.

The village of Mont Saint Michel on its heritage:  https://mairie-lemontsaintmichel.fr/la-commune/histoire-et-patrimoine/patrimoine

The official Abbey Mont Saint Michel : http://www.abbaye-mont-saint-michel.fr/en/

The Mont Saint Michel Tourist Office: https://www.ot-montsaintmichel.com/en/discover/visit-the-mont-saint-michel/

The Normandy tourist office on the Mont Saint Michel:  https://en.normandie-tourisme.fr/unmissable-sites/the-mont-saint-michel/

There you go folks, a wonderful site and a must to visit while in France. The Mont Saint Michel is unique and grand, words cannot describe it, you must come, Monte de San Miguel or Mount Saint Michael. Again,hope you enjoy this post on this is Mont Saint Michel !!! as I

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!